Favs from the past

Whether its fabric, canvas or clay

I find myself drawn to natural forms.

Art and a quick getaway.

 My husband was thinking he wanted a lake property

in Indiana to fish on. Well Thursday we took off

at 7 am and traveled to the center of the state.

Drove around the lakes scouting out small cabins.

Found a street we liked and a small place that was

going to be on the market. Than we went to

Shipshewanna  for supper and the night.

By morning he thought it over and decided it

was nicer to just stay at our lovely home in the

summer and go fishing at a lake 1 hour away.

He likes his garden too much to give it up.

Needless to say I am happy to spend the summers in

my STUDIO. not a fishing cottage.

I also got to go to Lolly's for some fabric before

coming home.

 These two paintings are by my 94 year  young friend

Doris B Myers. She is awesome.

No one can paint trees better than her.

She will have a show with her daughter  Bonnie Zimmer

this summer in Lafayette.

Have a great week end.

Some of my favorites.

 I thought I would share a few of my favorite works

of art. The first one is an acrylic painting

'Yellow Barns'

 The second is an art quilt I did while at QSDS in

Ohio and called ' Central Park'

 Than a beautiful art quilt I should have kept.

'Autumn'

I still have the painting though.

The last one is 'Sunset at Cedar Ridge'.

The view off of our deck.

I consider myself very fortunate to be able to make

these lovely pieces.

I am amazed at times.

I thank God for the talent he has put into my hands

and my heart.

Mary Ann Van Soest Fiber Artist Meet the Artist Reception Sunday, May 17 - 1:30 pm Following a 30 year career as a successful real estate broker, Van Soest knew she wanted to spend the next 20 years fulfilling her passion creating art. Her new journey began as she explored different art mediums. Through that exploration she experimented with different ideas and crafted her art with unusual elements. She has been the recipient of many awards for not only her paintings but her breathtaking art quilts. Using hand dyed fabrics, acrylic paints and photographs on fabric, Van Soest creates stories about nature that draw the view into her world. Her passion for trees and water are shown in many of her works and her life spent on a farm in Jasper County and travels are her inspiration. Van Soest was recently awarded the Helen V Surovek Memorial Award at the annual Salon Show at South Shore Arts. In addition to exhibiting both locally and nationally, her works can be found in galleries in Indiana, Ohio and Montana. The exhibit will be on display through June 25.

About Us The Village Gallery at Pines Village Retirement Communities opened in 2009 and has showcased many artists from around the region and across the country. Located at 3303 Pines Village Circle, the gallery is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. All exhibits are free and open to the public. For more information call Amy Page at 219/465-1591.

Under Indiana Skies

 Enjoy some of our show

 Opening in Lafayette,Indiana on Friday.

The variety of art is amazing.

Jasper and Newton counties have very talented artist.

Stop in if you are near the month of August

through September 7

Just goes to show you.

 I thought I would show you some paintings that

look good. The way the big painting is going you would

think I am a amateur. Which I am in some ways.

 Working on the big painting has made me realize that I

need to take time and really learn trees and values.

On my bucket list for this fall and winter is to

draw in pencil trees so I will finally learn how

to shade the leaves. I need to make them look more natural.

Practice makes perfect and my friend Doris says.

I am just trying to do too much too fast.

Life just hurls past at an astonishing speed.

The fiber piece Central Park I have in a show now

just did not hang right.

I was reading my Fiber Arts Now magazine

(note to Nancy this is a great magazine to subscribe to)

and the article on Merill Comeau shows her

complex layered pieces that I love and they have

the uneven pieces like Central Park.

Acting on impulse as usual I called her to ask how

show hangs her pieces and keeps them upright.

I got some good advice.

Thanks much Merill.

I love how the artist in this world are nice enough

to share and help others make better art.

Paintings

 I am still struggling with the big one.

It really helps to take a photo and print it.

Than I can study and look for ways to improve.

I did not realize that I really am a better art quilter

than painter.

I need to stick with fabric to paint my world.

The panels below are rust dyed cotton velvet.

I love the abstract quality of it.

Nice to touch too.

One more day of extreme heat.

Our long hot summer in Indiana.

A day of ART

Missed out on blogging yesterday.

Sorry my sister gave me the Hunger Games books.

I sunk into the recliner and just now came up for air.

I am almost finished with book 2.

Today was the opening of the

Chesterton's Women's Club's annual show.

I got a third place ribbon and a check.

Now whether to spend it on fabric or paint.

I think I will interpret this small painting into a quilt.

It is called spring.

I had entered a larger painting and this small painting,

I thought the larger one would get a prize.

Not.

You never know.



Heartland Gallery

Painted today.

I need to produce 3 - 12 by 12 inch paintings for a show.

Water and trees seem nice today.

I also started a flower painting.

Hollyhocks, white picket fence and a barn.

That show more promise.

I used Jasper red gesso for the background and

it really makes the flowers pop.

I will show you that  Wednesday.

The show is called small things.

Good name

Art Mix

 I had a nice quiet week-end.

Church, Minnesota fish for lunch, read a book

cleaned my stash closet and watched a movie with my husband.

This painting is a combination of painting and a piece

of encaustic art attached to it.

It is called XYZ.

Love the colors.

If you are near Lafayette, Indiana you can see it at

Art Mix March 30 at the Wells Cultural Center.



Painting again.

Started  a group of paintings.

The first is for 12 by 12.

These will be water scenes.

I start with a base of Jasper red gesso.

Than build the painting from there.

These  4 by 6 foot canvases are waiting for inspiration. 

                             This is my first idea.
                              I am not liking this.
                              Need to re-think this one.

              

This  is the background for a painting of tree roots.

I found it hard to switch from cloth to paint.

Hopefully today will go smoother.

River art quilt progress.

Yesterday I spent the whole day working

on my Hoosier River Quilt.

This is the base  I started with.

               I added stitching and some paint.
               I printed yesterdays birds on silk 
               and applied them with heat n bond.

The ducks add a nice touch.

                       This painting is  my inspiration for the quilt.

           Today I will add the next layer.
           Hand embroidery with thick threads.
           I have until Saturday night to finished my entries.
       

Back after a busy week.

What has been keeping me busy for the past 3 months.

Last nights opening.

happily lots of red dots.

To fund another few months in art experimentation.

A view of the gallery as you enter the show. 

 One of my art quilts , the Kankakee River Marsh painting
and a few sunsets taken at Cedar Ridge .

 More small art quilts.

This grouping of fall features paintings

small art quilts and a art quilt of a painting. 

The pond as depicted in a art quilt painting.

The Kankakee River Marsh on a Jasper red gesso background.

Note the glow of red through the water.

Check out Caroline Jasper on line.

A great artist. 

Jasper red gesso is named after her.

A small grouping of winter.

Art quilt, watercolor, acrylic painting and small quilted dreamscapes 

My sculptures of Adam and Eve.

I rolled a slab then went outside for a Canadian Hemlock branch.

I love how the branch wraps around Eve at the waist.

No one would ever know I love the woods, trees, water and birds.

Whats new at Cedar Ridge.

Yesterday I finished a small painting for the Art Barn's show.

 Worked on the larger one of birch trees.
I will finish this one today.
Liked how the birch tree trunks turned out.
Need to add the leaves.

 Rescued the 9 canvases from last Friday by changing the colors.
They will work great for placing an art quilt in the light space.
A great use of  the canvas and a great way to display the quilts.
Now to create 9 small quilts.
I will sell these at the mini bazaar at QSDS in June.

Nine Squares

The beginning of a new work.

I took 9- 12 inch square canvases.

Applied brown & magenta background.

Layered burnt sienna, ocher, barn red and turquoise over.

With a palette knife.

Added the start of trees.

Monday I will see where this takes me.

                         Have a blessed Easter week end.

Starting 2 new quilts.

The painting that inspires the quilt

The beginning of the process.
Fusing the batiks to the thermolon base.
Doing the base quilting for texture.
Now on to the detail and embellishment with thread.
I am using Artfabrik's thread #12 burnt marshmallow
It makes the best tree trunks.

The inspiration for the second art quilt.

Combining quilting and paint  makes for a good start.
I just love this scene. Looking forward to seeing it completed.
I ordered a some new colors form Artfabrik for this quilt.

I hope to finished these this week.
Than I will go back to the silk quilt dreamscapes.
That is between glazing and firing the kiln.
I will fire Tuesday & Wednesday.